LOWELL, Mass. – The University of Hartford baseball tied a school record with its 29th win of 2014, sweeing a doubleheader against the UMass Lowell River Hawks on Saturday winning the opening game 8-6 and scoring a 5-2 victory in game two. Leading the Hawks on the day was center fielder Chris DelDebbio who combined for four hits in eight bats while driving in one run. Hartford improves to 29-17 overall and 15-4 in the America East. 

Joining DelDebbio in leading the team was senior catcher James Alfonso who collected three hits in six at bats, extending his hit streak to 13 straight games, and drove in a pair of runs. Adam Touhey and Brady Sheetz also drove in two runs for the Hawks.

Both of the Hawks starting pitchers earned the victories with lefthander Sean Newcomb remaining unbeaten in America East games, earning his fifth victory in as many decisions. Brian Hunter earned a complete-game victory in the second game, improving to 4-6 overall and 4-3 in league games.

Newcomb pitched six innings in the opening game allowing four of the River Hawks runs on seven hits while striking out six batters. Jacob Mellin pitched a pair of relief innings allowing two earned runs on one hit while Jeremy Charles faced four batters in the ninth inning, en route to earning his third save of the season. In his full-game outing, Hunter was tagged with a pair of earned runs on four hits with two walks and four punch outs.

In the opening game, the Hawks had to work from behind in the opening game as Lowell used three hits and a Hartford error to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

The visitors wouldn't cut into that lead until the fourth inning when Sheetz sent a two out double to the wall in left center, driving in David MacKinnon and Alfonso who both singled. MacKinnon started the offense with a one out single to right field before Alfonso put runners on the corners with his two out single. Sheetz followed that with his first hit of the afternoon splitting the left side of the outfield allowing MacKinnon to score easily and Alfonso to score from first.

Hartford erased the deficit in its next half inning, scoring four runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish. DelDebbio began the offense, reaching safely for the third straight at-bat working a two out walk. Hits from Touhey and MacKinnon followed that, resulting in the Hawks first lead of the game. Touhey's double over the head of the center fielder dribbled to the wall allowing DelDebbio to score the game-tying run from first.

MacKinnon followed that with a bloop single to center with Touhey beating the throw home, which also allowed MacKinnon to advance into scoring position. Right fielder Ryan Lukach followed by working another two out walk with Alfonso coming to the plate with runners on first and second. The senior catcher sailed his second hit of the game over the center fielder rolling to the fence as he cleared the bases and wheeled out his second triple of the season.

The River Hawks answered by scoring one run in their half of the fifth inning using a two out single from Ian Strom cutting the lead to 6-4. Hartford responded by driving in two more in the sixth, again capitalizing with two outs. Designated hitter Billy Walker led off the inning with a single to right field and advanced into scoring position thanks to Dalton Ruch sacrificing himself.

With two outs in the inning, DelDebbio and Touhey each came through with doubles. DelDebbio's went to centerfield allowing Walker to score from second, while DelDebbio scored on Touhey's two-bagger to left field. The River Hawks would get two more runs back in the seventh inning before Charles closed out the game earning, giving up one hit in his one inning of work.

In the second game, Hartford struck first with a single run in the top of the second before Lowell responded with single runs in the second and third taking a 2-1 lead. The Hawks runs in the second came as a line drive from Ruch hit off the first baseman's glove and into right field which allowed Alfonso to score from third. Alfonso originally reached base with a one out single to left field, extending his current hit streak to 13 straight games, a season-high for all Hawks hitters.

The Hawks managed to tie the game in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a late error which allowed Ruch to score from third base. The shortstop originally reached base on a one out single to right field ebfore advancing to second on a single up the middle from Aaron Wilson. A fielder's choice off the bat of DelDebbio took Wilson off the base paths but the throw to first was off the mark and allowed Ruch to score on the miscue.

Another error in the sixth inning, the third of the game for Lowell, resulted in the go-ahead run before Lukach drove in a pair of runs in the seventh inning as he crushed his team-leading fifth home run over the right field fence driving in DelDebbio who reached on a single to left center. Walker recorded the RBI in the sixth inning as he drove in MacKinnon with a SAC fly to center.

Hartford and UMass Lowell close out the three-game set on Sunday as the Hawks celebrate Mother's Day at the ballpark. First pitch for Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 12 p.m.